Voting on Constitution Amendment Bill likely to be long affair

Voting on the Constitution Amendment Bill to replace the collegium system of appointing judges is likely to be a lengthy affair on Wednesday. As division numbers to members in the 16th Lok Sabha have not yet been allocated, the voting on the Constitution (121st) Amendment Bill is likely to be done using the old system of slips or chits.

The process will take a longer time than it usually takes when members use buttons on their desks to cast vote. The results in case of electronic voting appear on the display screens immediately. For passing an ordinary bill, a simple majority of members present and voting is necessary. But in the case of a bill to amend the Constitution, a majority of the total membership of the House and a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting is required.

Keen to scrap the collegium system, the government had on Monday introduced a Constitution Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha to establish a six-member body for appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and the high courts. Besides the Constitutional Amendment Bill, an enabling bill -- the National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, 2014 was also tabled.

While The Constitution (121st Amendment) Bill, 2014 seeks to put the proposed Commission and its entire composition in the Constitution, the other legislation lays down the procedure to be followed by the proposed body for appointment of Supreme Court judges and transfer and appointment of chief justices and other judges of the high courts.